Harvester with means for conversion from chopper to windrower



M Jan. 10, 1950 G. B. HILL 2,493,918

HARVESTER WITH MEANS FOR CONVERSION FROM CHQPPER To WINDROWER Original Filed March 7, 1941 2 sheets'sheet 1 INVEN TOR. B. HILL GEORGE ATTORNEYS 1950 G. B. HILL HARVESTER WITH MEANS FOR CONVERSION Jan. 10, 2,493,918

FROM CHOPPER TO WINDROWER Original Filed March 7, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. GEORGE B. HILL ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 10, 1950 nimvrsran wrrn MEANS ron coNvEa- SION mom cnorraa 'ro wmnnowna George B. Hill, Ottumwa, Iowa, assignor to Deere Manufacturing (70., a corporation of Iowa Original application March 7, 1941, Serial No. 382,219. Divided and this application February 3, 1944, Serial No. 520,987

The present invention relates generally to harvesters and more particularly to machines adapted I a novel and improved harvester .and chopper which is efllcient in operation, simple in construction, but strong and durable. This application is a division of a co-pending application,

Serial No. 382,219, filed March 7, 1941, now Patent No. 2,347,907, issued May 2, 1944.

Another object relates to the provision of a harvesting machine which can be quickly and easily converted from an ensilage harvester and chopper, which treats and loads the green crops immediately, to a windrow harvester which lays the green crops in windrows along the ground for purposes of curing and drying the crops.

These and other objects and advantages. of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the following description, in which reference is had to the drawings appended hereto, in which Figure 1 is a'side elevational view of the harvester with a part of the housing broken away to show the interior arrangement when the machine is used as a windrow harvester.

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view of the harvesting machine, showing the arrangement of parts as used when the machine is operating as a green crop harvester and chopper.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevational view taken along a line 33 in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a partial rear elevational view, drawn to an enlarged scale, showing the discharge opening in the rear of the housing when the machine is used as a windrow harvester.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the machine drawn to a reduced scale, portions of which are broken away.

Referring now to the drawings, the harvesting machine has a mobile frame which includes a transversely disposed supporting axle beam III, at opposite ends ofv which are disposed a pair of supporting wheels II, respectively, journaled on a pair of stub axles |2 fixed to the main axle beam It. A draft frame, indicated generally by reference numeral l3, extends forwardly from the main axle beam 0, to which it is rigidly connected, and is provided at its forward end with a tractor hitch member l6 adapted for connection to the drawbar of the tractor or other suitable draft mechanism. The draft frame I 3 and axle beam ||l are rigidly connected together to form a unitary frame structure.

.6 Claims. 5616) Supported at the rear of the draft frame is a material-receivingmeans in the form of an ensilage chopper 29 having a rotary knife element 2| of the flywheel type, comprising radially extending arms 22 on which are carried the chopping blades 23. The arms 22 are mounted on a shaft 39 which is Journaled in suitable bearingsfl, 39 disposed ahead of the flywheel 2|. A detailed description of the flywheel chopper is not considered necessary here, for a chopper of this type is described and claimed in my Patent No. 2,313,- 872, granted March 16, 1943. The blades 23 cooperate with a stationary cutter bar 24 to chop the harvested crops which are fed thereto by means of suitable feeding mechanism including an upper fluted roll 29 and a smooth feed roll 21, disposed immediately ahead of the cutter bar 24 and enclosed in a feeder housing 25, which is mounted in fixed relation on the supporting frame.

The rotary chopper 2| is contained within a generally circular, vertically disposed housing 29, which is mounted behind the main axle beam Ill and communicates with the feeder housing 29 to admit theharvested crops to the cutter bar 24.

' The housing 29 is bolted to the rear edges of the' feeder housing walls, and is further supported by a superstructure comprising a pair of transversely disposed frame members 3|, fixed to the front and rear sides of the housing 29, respectively, and attached to a pair of vertical supporting members 32 which are carried at their lower ends on a forwardly extending frame member 33 which is fixed to the axle beam ID. The transverse frame members 3| are interconnected by a pair of longitudinally extending bracing beams 34, 35 on opposite ends of the superstructure, respectively.

The arms 22 of the rotor also serve as fan blades and provide means for propelling the chopped crops through a tangential discharge opening or duct 4|, which extends upwardly and is offset laterally from the stubbleward side of the chopper housing 29. The discharge portion 4| of the housing 29 terminates at the transversely disposed frame members 3| and is provided with a connecting flange 42, to which is connected a discharge conduit 43 extending upwardly and outwardly in a parabolic curve which follows substantially the natural projectory of the crops as they are discharged from the housing 29 through the discharge passage 4|.

The parabolic conduit 43 comprises a pair of sections 44, 45 coupled together by means of a hinge 46 which permits the upper section 45 to be folded back over the top of the rotary chopper housing 2.9 for transport purposes. The outer end 3 of the conduit 43 is provided with a pivoted hood 41 for controlling the direction of discharge of the crops from the end of the conduit 43. The conduit 43 is closed on three sides, having a top wall 5I and a pair of side walls 52, but no bottom wall (Fig. 3). The bottom of the conduit43 is open all the way from the connecting flange 42 to the outer end of the conduit. Thus the dis-' charge conduit 43 serves more as a means for guiding the, discharged crop material in its natural trajectory from the rotary chopper 20 to the wagon or truck which is drawn alongside of the harvester, rather than as a pneumatic conveyor pipe. In case the rotary chopper should slow down. the crop material discharged through the conduit would merely follow a lower trajectory the conduit must be carried up farther than in the parabolic shape of conduit. The reason for this is obvious since the crop material must be guided on all sides if an attempt is made to make it follow any other path than its natural trajectory, and when the bottom wall is carriedup toward the'upper end of the conduit, more difliculty is encountered from clogging of the conduit at such times as when the rotor slows down. Thus it is evident that by making the conduit 43 parabolic in form, the bottom wall can be left out entirely, right down to the discharge opening in the housing. This feature forms the subject matter of my U. S. Patent 2,431,477.

The conduit 43 is supported by a pair of tension members 48 connected between the bracing member and a bracket 49 fixed to the outer section of the conduit 43. Each of the supporting members 48 includes a section of flexible chain 50 which permits the outer section 45 to be swung about the hinge 46 for folding the section 45 over the top of the housing 29.

The harvested crops are gathered and conveyed to the feeder housing 25 by gathering means including a forwardly extending platform which is pivotally mounted on the feeder housing 25 by means providing for vertical swinging movement relative thereto about a transversely extending axis. The platform 55 comprises a deck 56 carried on a pair of laterally spaced forwardly extending frame members 51, upon which are also I supported a pair of forwardly diverging side walls 58. The forward ends of the frame members 51 are rigidly connected together by means of a vertically disposed arched frame member 59 which extends over the forward end of the platform. The rear ends of the frame members 51 are provided with bearing members 60 which are journaled at opposite ends of a transversely disposed shaft 6| which is carried in suitable bearings on the feeder housing 25. The ,forward end of the platform 55 is provided with a pair of laterally spaced skids or runners 16, between which is disposed a cylinder type pick-up device having a plurality of crop engaging teeth or fingers adapted to rotate with the rotary pick-up device 65 and pick severed crops from the ground and deposit them upon the deck 56 between the side walls 58, where the crops are moved rearwardly up the deck 56 of the platform 55 by means of suitable conveyor chains I05 having teeth H4 4 engageable with the crops and are crowded together between the sidewalls 51 and into the feeder housing 25.

Further description of the details of the pickup and conveyor mechanism is not considered necessary here, for reference may be had to my above mentioned Patent 2,347,907 for a complete disclosure of such details. v

Power to operate the mechanism on the implement is obtained from the power take-off shaft of the tractor which draws the implement, by means of a power shaft I65 comprising a splined sleeve member I66 adapted to be attached to the ,tractor power take-oil shaft, and is connected through a pair of universal joints I61, I68 and a telescoping shaft section I69 to a shaft I10 journaled in a support I'll. connected through a universal joint I11 to a; power shaft section I18 from which power is taken to operate various parts of the mechanism. The power shaft section I18 is supported in a pedestal bearing I19 mounted on the draft frame I3 and extends rearwardly therefrom into a'. gear housing I80. A belt pulley I8I is mounted on the shaft section I18 and is connected by a driving belt I82 to a pulley I83 mounted on the forward end of the rotor shaft 36. The rear end of the shaft section I18 is journaled in the gear housing I80 and is connected by suitable gears (not shown) in the housing I80 to a transversely extending power shaft I85. The shaft I85 extends under the feeder housing 25 and a sprocket I86 is mounted on the end of the shaft I85 which projects beyond the feeder housing. The sprocket I86 drives through a chain I81, which is trained over a large diameter sprocket I88 fixed to the shaft I89 of a feeder (not shown) in the form of a beater of any suitable conventional design for engaging the crops which move upwardly on the platform and directing them to the rotary chopper 20. The chain I81 1 also trained around a pair of sprockets (not shown) fixed on a pair of shafts I92, I93, respectively, on which are mounted the rollers 26 and 21, respectively. Further details of this drive connection may be had by reference to Patent 2,347,- 907 mentioned above.

In operation as an ensilage harvester, the machine is attached to a tractor and the power connection I66 is connected to the power take-off shaft of the tractor. The tractor then draws the machine through a field of alfalfa or other silage crops, which have already been cut by a mower, and the fingers 80 of the pick-up mechanism 65 raise the crops to the platform 56 and are conveyed upwardly and rearwardly in a generally defined path along the deck 56 by the chains I05 and delivered to the feed rollers 26, 21, which continue to feed the green crops along said path to the flywheel cutter 2I. The crops are then intercepted and chopped and are thrown by centrifugal force upwardly and outwardly through the parabolic conduit 43 and are delivered to a truck or wagon which is being drawn alongside the ensilage harvester.

At times, it is desirable to cut the crop, lay it in a windrow, and allow it to dry or at least to wilt before it is chopped. Although windrowing machines are available which cut a swath and convey it laterally for discharge into a windrow, a machine embodying my invention can be drawn over the field after an ordinary mower, to gather the cut crop into windrows, which can later be picked up and chopped. For this purpose, the power transmitting belt I82 is removed from the pulley I8I to prevent the flywheel from rotating The shaft I10 is during operation, thus providing a connectible and disconnectible drive means for the flywheel; and a rear housing panel in the form of a closure or cover 30 is removed from the rear of the flywheel housing 29, by removing a number of bolts 30', leaving a discharge opening 28' in the rear wall of the housing directly behind the feed rolls 26, 21 and cutter bar 24, or in the path of feeding of material rearw-ardly. The flywheel cutter 2| is then set with the arms 22 in the position shown in the drawings, in which position the cutter can be suitably blocked, if necessary. The machine is then run over the field, picking up the crop and raising it to the feed rolls, which discharge the crop through the rear opening 23'. Although the feed rolls '26, 21 discharge the crop with sufficient force to clear the lower edge of the opening 23, preferably a sheet metal apron 200 is secured to the lower edge of the opening 29' by means of a few of the bolts 30' which are replaced to hold the apron 200 in position. The apron extends from the edge of the opening 29' forwardly to the cutter bar 24 and is inserted beneath the latter to hold the apron 200 in proper position. The rearward and downward slope of the apron 200 not only prevents any material from dropping into the housing 29, but discharges any such material over the rear edge of the opening 23'. Since the opening 29' is appreciably narrower than the width of the front of the platform, thecrop will be discharged in a windrow, which can be picked up and chopped in another operation, after the crop is suitably cured. The same machine can be used for the subsequent operation, after the apron 200 has been removed and the belt I32 and panel 30 replaced in normal position. Thus, by incorporating the windrowing feature in this machine, I have eliminated the necessity for a farmer having an ordinary mower to purchase either a windrower or a side delivery rake.

Iclaim:

1. A harvester comprising a mobile frame, a forwardly extending platform supported thereon, means on said platform for gathering cropsand conveying the same rearwardly thereon, said platform having a throat at the rear thereof of restricted width through which said crops are discharged, feeding means for receiving said crops and feeding them rearwardly, a chopper housing behind said feeding means, a rotary chopper in said housing for chopping said crops, a power shaft connected to said crop gathering and conveying means for driving the latter, disconnectible means for driving said chopper from said power shaft, and a removable panel in the rear wall of said chopper housing in register with said feed means.

2. A harvesting machine comprising a mobile frame, crop gathering means for raising severed crops and including means for crowding said crops together to restrict the width of the stream of harvested material, a chopper housing supported on said frame and to which said material is delivered, a pair of upper and lower feed rolls for feeding said material into said chopper housing, a rotary chopper in said housing, a power shaft connected to said crop gathering means for driving the latter, means for driving said chopper from said power shaft, said chopper driving means being disconnectible, and a panel in the rear wall of said housing in register with said feed rolls,

said panel being removable when said chopper is disconnected to permit said feed rolls to discharge said crop material in a windrow on the round behind said machine.

3. A harvesting machine comprising a mobile frame, a feeder housing carried thereon and having a discharge throat in the rear wall thereof, a chopper housing supported on said feeder housing, and a removable panel in the rear wall of said chopper housing in register with said discharge throat.

4. A harvesting machine comprising a mobile frame, a forwardly extending platform including crop gathering and conveying mechanism associated therewith for elevating and crowding harvested material to a restricted width, feed rolls disposed in said feeder housing, a rotary chopper disposed behind said feed rolls and adapted to receive crop material therefrom, and a housing for said chopper supported on said feeder housin and overhanging behind said frame, said housing having a removable panel in the rear wall thereof in register with said feed rolls through which the latter can discharge harvested material when the panel is removed.

5. A harvesting machine comprising a mobile frame, a feeder housing carried thereon and having a discharge throat in the rear wall thereof, a chopper housing disposed behind said feeder housing and having an opening in the rear wall in register with said discharge throat, and an apron adapted for connection to said housing and to extend from said rear wall toward said discharge throat to prevent material from dropping into the chopper housing.

6. A harvesting machine comprising a mobile frame, crop gathering means including means for crowding the crops together to reduce the width of the stream of harvested material, a crop treating housing supported on said frame to which said material is delivered, means for feeding said material into said housing, said housing having a discharge opening in the wall thereof opposite to and in register with said feed roll means, through which opening said material can -be discharged by said roll means to form a windrow on the ground, and a panel-having means for securing the same over said opening to retain the material optionally within said housing.

GEORGE B. HILL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Hill NOV. 25, 1947 

